


Lost

by orphan_account



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-27 22:13:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16228349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Are you lost?""If this is what being lost is like, then... yes. I may even be better lost."





	Lost

To you, he’d never seem warm and inviting. Even with all those ducklings around him, even when all the childlike souls gathered near him, even when he seemed much more concerned with your well-being than any other Food Soul. To you, it never seemed real.

 

You thought that the first time that he felt even remotely approachable was when he gave you a moment’s look of approval in battle, as you struck down a hostile Fallen Angel right as he lit them up in flames. He hadn’t even been in contract with you for so long, as it’s only been short of a few days… No, a week? You couldn’t tell.

 

The restaurant, though, it was brimming with chatter, laughter, the occasional grunt of disgust, but it was worth the overall, positive atmosphere. You thought that the place was rather warm, so very lacking in the viciousness that you experienced with your fighters on the field.  It made days go by so quickly, as if time never existed at all.

 

“Pudding, my dear, could you watch over the restaurant for a bit? I need a breather, sorry.”

 

His cold, golden eyes softened as he nodded, urging you to take as long as you needed, knowing that you were exhausted (you did nothing to conceal the encroaching dark circles under your eyes, and for a moment it felt like you were publicly exposed as what you were: _tired._ ) You let out a sigh, stepping out of the restaurant and into the corridor that led to the other building, where you spent your time when the restaurant was inactive.

 

You tried to stop thinking for a bit, knowing that your thoughts were the main thing that overwhelmed you at day. But how? How could you stop thinking about the man with braids and golden eyes, who smelled faintly of archaic smoke, who never made a noise with his steps? And how could you forget, thinking that the wounds your Food Souls had were all built into their character? That they were created with wounds as some predetermined characterization, and how you caught glimpses of burns on his arms when he fell in battle that one time, and…

 

And how can you forget your eyes widening at how accidental the burns felt?

 

You heard something shuffle at your feet, and froze for a moment, thinking that it was a rodent until you took in a breath and looked down. Its faint, yellow hairs relieved the tension in your shoulders, though there was only one person in your entire establishment who’d own ducklings like this one.

 

“Master Attendant.”

 

Your head tilted up, and there he was. His eyes were closed, his head nodding in greeting, though the glint of his monocle gave off something that was much less than gentle.

 

“Are you lost?”

 

“Oh..?”

 

He looked taken aback, your question startling him for a moment. Though, his features seemed to darken ever so slightly before… “What makes you ask that?”

 

Biting your lip, you felt your arm trembling. “No. It’s… It’s nothing.”

 

He watched you as you went to clench your arm, knowing that you weren’t a shy character, and thus, never gestured this way, unless… Well,

 

 _You must’ve seen his burns_.

 

“What troubles you, my dear Master Attendant?”

 

You shook your head, thinking that it would’ve been rude to ask, especially when you weren’t all that familiar with the man. His gaze softened, before he…

 

“Were you wondering about this?”

 

His move made your heart stop, your breath unsteady, as you felt yourself looking at those burns… Those terrible burns of his that he hid under his sleeves, that no one would ever see, because you were the only one that paid attention to him on the battlefield. Because everyone else had to take care of themselves first.

 

“P… Peking… What happe―”

 

“There was an accident.” He said simply, sighing. “A while back, a terrible fire nearly killed my beloved children…” He smiled wearily, as if he were remembering something awful, and you felt the guild pile on you for asking.

 

“I… couldn’t bear the thought of my family dying, when I had the power to save them.” He continues, and you looked him in the eyes but… what on earth were his eyes saying? They gave you a strange feeling, ‘ _as if he…_ ’

 

He hesitates, before finishing, “so, I went in, burning myself in the process.”

 

You nodded, quietly, taking the information in. Years ago, you yourself had witnessed something terrible, and you knew that people were definitely lost in that one particular fire. You felt your lips forming an apology for asking, concern, _things_ that you would’ve said to those who had witnessed the burning along with you all those years ago. So, you said what you felt was right.

 

“Peking, I’m so glad… That you’re safe now.”

 

* * *

 

My Master Attendant was a rather young adult in a world where restaurants were run by the elderly, all who had solid beliefs, an unmovable will, and a decaying heart. My Master Attendant, I’ve observed, was an empathetic, caring individual who noticed much more in a moment, than those old eyes would see in all of their remaining lifetime.

 

They turned back to the restaurant, mere moments after saying those words. Though, their eyes stopped looking at me, and I wonder if I was convincing enough for someone like them.

 

“... Come, now.”

 

The children followed me, of course they did. They heard what I said, they know firsthand what I did. I couldn’t get the look that my Master had in their eyes. Their eyes had darkened the last time they looked at me, and I felt as if they saw right through the lies I tried to feed. As if they knew.

 

_So, why didn’t they pry? Why didn’t they ask if I was lying? If they knew, they why didn’t they try to clarify? If only they asked…_

 

 **_I would’ve had them right where I wanted_ ** _._

 

Peking Duck let out a breath, his eyes closed and his thoughts running rampant. He was an organized thinker, who tied light bulbs to strings and sent them to storage the moment they proved useless. There could’ve been only two reasons, right?

 

_Either they knew the moves I’d make, or…_

 

His eyes opened, reaching the less desired option, the one where he had to be cautious, the one that’d make him protect not only their body, but their will as well.

 

 _… Or, they decided to treat me like a friend_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hit by a sudden wave of inspiration, supported by my love for this man. Hopefully you all enjoyed my take, though I think he deserved something more.


End file.
